Smoked Bologna Sandwich

I don’t know about y’all, but I loooooove smoked bologna.  Every time I go down to Tulsa and visit my grandparents we have smoked bologna sandwiches, which usually consist of bologna and white bread.  Cheese never did seem to go well with it and I really didn’t believe it possible to improve on those basic flavors.  That is until now! They sent a nice hunk of bologna back with me to Chicago (my sister got stopped going through security with it!) and eventually you actually do get tired of that basic sandwich! :O Tonight I found a suitable runner-up.

Ingredients:

• Brainy Bagel
• Smoked Bologna
• Smokey BBQ Sauce
• Creole Seasoning
• Smoked Gouda

Pop a Brainy Bagel in the toaster oven until golden brown.  Take it out briefly to smear on a thin layer of Smoke Daddy Sweet & Smokey BBQ sauce.  Famous Dave’s Rich & Sassy BBQ sauce is also acceptable 🙂  Add slice of smoked bologna.  Sprinkle with the Cajun/Creole sesasoning of your choice. Now it is very important that the seasoning go between the cheese and the bologna because the grease and moisture from both will help to unlock the flavors in the spices.  Naturally, the cheese goes on top!  I had to use reduced fat provolone because it was the only thing I had in my fridge 😦 Apparently that does not brown in my toaster oven… That said, I would HIGHLY recommend using smoked gouda!! Its in keeping with the whole smoky theme here 😛 plus it would really complement the flavor of bologna. Toss it in the toaster oven until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown on top.  Now there is one thing you could add to this little open-faced wonder … garlic aioli.

Oh hey um yeah you have a little drool over there…

Now bear in mind, this isn’t your crappy garden variety bologna like Oscar Mayer or something… if you’re planning on buying your own bologna to smoke then I would go with Boars Head or something of a similar quality.  Simply go to the deli counter and show them with your hands how big a peice you would like… not sliced. Then pop it in your Hasty Bake! Whats that? You don’t know what a Hasty Bake is?… Don’t worry, most people above the mason dixon line don’t either 😛 You could go all Alton Brown and make your own smoker… but that’s probably too much trouble.  Plus if you’re like me, you’re allergic to smoke… and wood chips Soo yeah its best to just buy it already smoked somewhere.  This is where living in Oklahoma or Texas comes in handy 😛